


The Lies That Tie Us

by amyrillus



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-07 01:07:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16844074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyrillus/pseuds/amyrillus
Summary: After Chameleon, Marinette still feels a little isolated from her class, as she tries to ignore Lila's lies. Adrien, on the other hand, is starting to notice her in a different way, and decides to ask her to be his plus one at a charity event. Chloe is unexpectedly nice, and Lila feels the need to fill the void of malice.This is my first fic, so constructive criticism is appreciated!





	1. A Dream Come True

Marinette walked into the classroom early today. This was unusual, but she’d only been able to do it since she got a full night’s sleep. Hawkmoth had been inactive lately, so she’d finally been able to catch up on work and sleep. She stepped in just in time for the warning bell to ring. Not that anyone noticed, as they were facing away from the front anyway. Her class was once again all gathered around Lila, except for Adrien, Chloe and Sabrina. At least some people had some sense. Chloe and Adrien were discussing some charity gala that they were attending that weekend, and as a result Adrien only gave Marinette a little wave as she walked past.

Surprised, she blushed and smiled in return, sitting down in her seat behind him. As they waited for Ms. Bustier to show up, Marinette caught snippets of the conversations around her.

Chloe and Adrien talked about the charity gala, which sounded like a fashion show where proceeds would go to the less fortunate… kids in foster care, maybe? Marinette wasn’t sure. And behind her... 

Lila. Telling her lies again to the awaiting masses. She listened to everyone laugh at a fabricated joke, and rolled her eyes. Glancing over at Chloe, she was almost envious of how easily the blonde ignored them all. Maybe it was that Chloe didn’t have the fear of separation from the rest of the class like Marinette did. After all, they were pretty against her before Lila showed up, so there was really nothing Lila could threaten her with. Marinette couldn’t help but wish to have the same indifference sometimes.

“... And so there I was, standing on top of the Empire State Building, looking around for security, but there wasn’t any time to wait! He was going to jump, so I _knew_ I had to do _something_.”

Marinette rolled her eyes to the back of her skull. So Lila was now an expert in talking down potential suicide jumpers, hm? What a joke.

“Not a fan, Dupain-Cheng?” A sharp voice shook Marinette from her internal screaming and back to reality. She looked up to see none other than Chloe, turned in her seat, and looking at her with a cat-like smile.

“What?” Marinette asked.

“Of our resident liar back there,” she gestured with a small tilt of her head, sapphire eyes narrowed.

“Oh. Well, I mean, I can’t prove any of her lies --”

“Stop being such a pushover. You clearly don’t like her, you might as well own it -- especially with me.”

Marinette was surprised at this, but had to admit Chloe had a point. “Yeah, our… _personalities_ … don’t match,” she said with a glance back at Lila.

Chloe have a light _hmph_ , and shook her head. “Fine, keep being nice. Just know that girls like _that_ , aren’t.”

 _And girls like you are?_ Marinette thought. She glanced over her shoulder, and caught Lila’s eye past their adoring classmates. She gave marinette a wicked smile, that instantly morphed back into kindness as soon as someone said something to her. Marinette shivered. “Yeah, I know,” she said softly. The event in the bathroom was still frustrating, but there wasn’t anything she could or wanted to do about it now. Adrien was right, in some respects. She didn’t want to upset Lila -- as she was getting stronger as an Akuma every time Ladybug and Chat Noir fought her -- but it also wasn’t okay for Lila to get away with her lies. They weren’t going to hurt Adrien like they were going to hurt Marinette, but she had to keep her chin held high.

“It’ll be okay, Marinette,” Adrien said softly.

Marinette’s gaze snapped down to him, meeting the brilliant green of his eyes and nearly got lost in them. “Huh?”

“Remember, as long as you and I know, it doesn’t matter what Lila does.”

She smiled at him, wanting so badly to believe that. Her and Adrien against the dreaded Liar Lila. They could be like her and Chat Noir, but their everyday akuma was a lying pest instead of a supervillain. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Uh, we’re here too,” Chloe said. “Don’t think Sabrina and I are falling for that social climber’s lies.”

“Right! Of course,” Adrien said, turning back to Chloe, hand on the back of his neck. Marinette realized that she had been staring at Adrien intently the whole time… and Adrien had been staring back. She immediately felt her face flush a bright red, just at the bell for class rang.

Alya came to sit next to Marinette, a bundle of energy. “Marinette! You won’t believe--!” She stopped as she noticed the colour of Marinette’s face and goofy smile. Alya’s eyes glimmered with journalistic intrigue -- but mostly nosey best friend intrigue. “Girl what happened while I was back there?” she asked, sliding her shoulder up against Marinette’s.

“N-nothing!” Marinette exclaimed, putting a hand on her face to try and help cool it, but Alya persisted.

“C’mon, girl! Spill!” Alya dropped her voice to a whisper, nudging Marinette in the ribs with her elbow.

“Oh, uh, you know. I have… the, uh… you know!”

“Uh huh, I know. Did Adrien say something to you?”

“No! It’s um, well, it’s…”

“Good morning class!” Saved by Ms. Bustier, Marinette relaxed, giving Alya a sheepish grin, accompanied by a shrug.

Alya pursed her lips in response, silently telling Marinette that they’d talk about it at lunch.

Marinette simply gave her a nod, agreeing to that. It’d give her time to think about what had happened, and settle it out in her mind. In the meantime…

She looked at the back of Adrien’s head, and imagined how soft his hair would be under her fingertips and sighed. Gosh, he was beautiful, and kind, and one day they’d fall in love, and get married, have three kids, a dog, no a cat, no forget that, maybe a hamster! And they’d name it…

“Earth to Marinette?”

Marinette jerked up a bit in surprise. Had she really just wasted the whole morning daydreaming about Adrien? It had happened before, but she was always surprised when it did. Alya was looking at her half expectant and half amused. She knew exactly what had happened. “Again, girl?”

Marinette smiled, embarrassed. “Yeah.”

Alya simply smiled and stood up. "Don’t worry, I’ll send you pics of my notes after class.”

“Thank you!”

And with that they walked up to the cafeteria, Alya gently teasing her friend about her crush, just out of earshot of anyone they knew.

“Okay, so spill,” Alya demanded once they were sat down far away from the rest of the class. It wasn’t hard these days, considering they all flocked around Lila.

“Well, Adrien and I were… talking…” she didn’t need to mention the part where they agreed on Lila’s lies. It would only upset Alya, and she didn’t want to go through that whole fiasco again.

“Talking? About what?”

Shoot, she’d given Alya too much time to interject something. “Oh! You know, about, the, um, fashion charity thing he’s going to this weekend!” She smiled brightly, and Alya seemed to buy it. Wait, why was her mouth open? Why did she look so shocked?

“Girl, did he get you an invite?!”

“What? No! We just -- we were talking -- and then, well, he, _we_ , I mean --”

“Marinette, if he didn’t ask you, why were you blushing so much?”

“It’s silly,” she admitted. It certainly sounded silly against Alya’s conclusion that he’d done something amazing for her. “We just um… well, I got lost in his eyes, and I…”

“... You?” Alya prompted.

“...I think he was staring back.”

Alya blinked. “You think he might have a crush on you?”

“I don’t know, Alya.” She pushed peas around her tray. “It just really… caught me off guard, you know?”

“Girl, don’t give up hope! Maybe he does!”

Marinette straightened, “You think so?”

“I mean, maybe, but you’re amazing so why not?”

Marinette smiled at her friend. “Thanks Alya.”

“What would you do if he asked you?” Alya asked.

Marinette blushed at the idea, and rested her head on one hand. Her gaze drifted to the windows, and she sighed wistfully, eyes bright as they caught the light. “I’d _have_ to design my own dress,” she said. “After I finished freaking out about Adrien asking me. Then, I’d go buy fabric, and sew like crazy! Because, yes, it’s a charity gala, but what if a model there, or someone sees my design and loves it! What if Mr. Agreste sees it and wants to hire me? Alya, it could open so many doors, plus I’d get to spend the whole night with Adrien! And I’d have to look _perfect_ for that!”

Alya chuckled, “Ah, typical Marinette.”

Marinette lifted her head a bit out of her hand as she returned her gaze to her friend. “What do you mean?”

“You’re so driven! But you never do forget about the boy you like,” she said with a wink. “I admire that, honestly.”

Marinette blushed a little at the compliment. She certainly had to be driven, though, didn’t she? Between homework, a budding career in design and fashion, and being Ladybug, she didn’t have much time for screwing around.

Their conversation wandered after that. The two were giggling about a silly picture of Nino that Alya had taken that weekend as the bell for the end of lunch rang. Since they had electives next, they wandered downstairs to the locker room, chatting happily all the while, only splitting as Alya went to go see Nino as his locker. Marinette smiled at her friends as she opened her lock by muscle memory.

“Hey Marinette!”

“Ah!” she jumped and caught herself on the edge of her locker door, causing her to swing into the other lockers as a consequence. Leave it to her to cause a scene. She looked up at her visitor, to see Adrien offering a hand to help her up. She took it gratefully, feeling fireworks spread up her arm as their fingers touched. “H-hey! What can I for you do? -- for do you? I-I mean do you in for? For you! Do! Do for you!” She smiled and tried to ignore the ever increasing temperature of her face.

“Oh, well I was wondering if you’d want to come to the charity gala with me this weekend?” Wait, was he blushing? He was certainly smiling and rubbing the back of his neck.

“No! I mean, yes way! I mean no way! Not that I would hate to go with you! I just mean that -- we’d be a date! No! It’s--” she took a deep breath, and centered herself. When she looked back up at him he was simply smiling at her, waiting for her to finish. God, he was so good, and patient, and handsome, and… she shook herself. Focus! “I would love you. To! Would love to. Thank you.”

His smile widened. “Great! I’ll make sure to text you the details later! Is a message on WhatsApp okay?”

“Y-yeah!”

“Perfect.” He set a hand on her shoulder and then turned to go to class.

She waved at him as he left, and then realized their exchange had take so long that they were the only ones left in the locker room. Wait. Oh no!

Marinette ran off to the art room, thankfully, the teacher was pretty lax, and knew perfectly well that Marinette was the scattered creative type. Today was an open studio day anyway, and he simply smiled as she came in, out of breath, but not disruptive. She sat down and flipped through her sketchbook for anything to wear to a gala. No sleek or eye-catching dresses. Just cute casual clothes she’d been working on. Well, Alya was right, she was driven. And if there was anything that was going to take her attention, it would be designing the perfect dress.

***

Marinette ran out the door that day, ecstatic. It was like her earlier conversation with Alya had just come true! Oh god! She was so excited, and she had a design that she loved, and she just needed to begin the pattern making process, and then choose fabric, and then find the right beads. She hadn’t had a design she was this excited for in a long time. She was so excited she could just --

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Dupain-Cheng.”

Nevermind.

Rolling her eyes, Marinette looked over the Chloe. “What do you want now?”

“To say I expect something incredible out of you this weekend.”

Marinette’s brain temporarily stopped working. She blinked. “Huh?”

Chloe looked slightly uncomfortable, and glanced off to the side. Marinette tried to follow her gaze, but Chloe quickly snapped it back to her. “It’s a fashion charity gala, and Adrien told me he wanted you to be his plus one at lunch today. So you had better make something incredible, and not embarrass him. Or me, because there’s no _way_ I’m leaving you alone with my Adrikins all night.”

Was that… almost a compliment? It certainly was contorted. “Um, thanks? I won’t let you down?”

Chloe turned up her nose. “Good! And…” she sighed. “I’m glad it’s you and not Liar Lila that Adrien asked.”

Marinette blinked again. “Me too.”

Chloe shook her head and started walking away. “See you this weekend, then.” She stopped and turned sharply on her heel. Despite now being a few steps lower than Marinette, Chloe held a confidence that made her feel as though they were still at the same height. “Do _not_ disappoint.” And with a hair flip she walked to her car, where Sabrina was waiting.

 _Something_ , Marinette decided, had to be in the water today. She headed home, confused but not upset, because somehow Chloe’s half-threat only impressed upon her how important this event would be. And Marinette was sure as hell excited for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have every intent to continue this, but there will be a bit of a break, considering I'm doing finals this week. As I said in the summary, this is my first fic, so please let me know what you think!


	2. Rich Kids

Marinette went home, told her parents the news about the gala, and was rewarded with an extra yummy dinner. She told Alya of what happened when she had the chance, an eardrum bursting call followed, as the two girls spent about an hour squealing in excitement. Marinette then spent the evening finishing her homework, awaiting a text from Adrien, and talking with Tikki. Her kwami was always most excited when she was creating. She supposed a being that was the very essence of creation had to feed off the creative energy somehow. Tikki zipped around the room, helping Marinette fetch what she needed to make her pattern. “It’s going to be beautiful Marinette!” Tikki enthused, landing on her shoulder.

Marinette nodded. “I sure hope so, Tikki. Like Chloe was saying, it needs to be perfect!”

“I’m sure it will be, Marinette!”

She grinned up at her kwami and got to work, refocused. She loved the work, looking at the reference sketches, imagining the dress on herself. She even had her hair and makeup planned out!

Her phone buzzed and Marinette spazzed, nearly falling out of her chair as she lunged for her phone. Adrien! This was her chance to open up a normal conversation, and then they’d talk into the night, and Adrien would ask her on a romantic candlelit date with chocolate and flowers, and--

Marinette unlocked her phone to see Chloe’s name and picture pop up. “Ew!” she exclaimed, nearly dropping her phone. She did not want to see Chloe’s face while fantasising about a romantic date.

Tikki flew up next to Marinette to see the screen. “What does she want?” the kwami asked.

“Let’s find out.” Marinette opened the text.

_Chloe: I can’t believe I’m actually texting you right now. Show me what you got for your dress this weekend, I need to make sure it’s up to standards._

“Is she feeling okay?” Tikki asked, little face scrunched up.

“I don’t know. Whatever’s going on with her is freaking me out,” Marinette said. She started typing out a reply.

_Marinette: Well, I’m still kind of in the pattern-making process, and it’ll take some more refining._

_Chloe: Whatever, just show me._

Marinette shook her head. She supposed this was the closest Chloe would get to being nice about something. She took a couple of quick pictures of her designs, namely the top which would require a lot of delicate beadwork.

_Chloe: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s not awful_

_Chloe: And wow. You’re never gonna finish that on time_

_Marinette: Well, I might just surprise you_

_Chloe: Trust me you won’t_

_Chloe: Meet me for lunch tomorrow_

_Marinette: What? Why?_

_Chloe: Because you’re going to need help_

_Marinette: And you’re gonna help me?_

_Chloe: Not me, but someone_

_Chloe: And duh_

_Chloe: I already told you today it needs to be perfect_

_Marinette: Why are you so set on helping me?_

_Chloe: I’ll tell you at lunch_

_Chloe: Now stop texting me_

Marinette threw up her hands in exasperation.

“That was weird,” Tikki said. “I wonder why Chloe wants to help you so bad.”

“She did say something about not wanting me to embarrass Adrien,” Marinette said. “Maybe that’s her whole reason?”

“She might be wanting to make up with you?” Tikki suggested. “Maybe you were right about her being Queen Bee. You said that being Ladybug made you a better Marinette, so maybe being Queen Bee is making her a better Chloe!”

Marinette sighed. “Maybe.”

Marinette looked over her design. She hated to admit it, but Chloe might be right. It would be a _lot_ of intricate beadwork, and she couldn’t be sure that she’d have enough time to finish it. Just because Hawkmoth had been quiet lately didn’t mean he would be this week.

“I think you should meet Chloe for lunch tomorrow,” Tikki said.

“Yeah.”

“She’s trying to be nice Marinette! You should -- wait, huh?”

Marinette smiled at her kwami. Tikki’s wide eyes told Marinette that she’d been expecting some resistance. “It might be… good to give Chloe a chance. And if I can have someone do the beadwork for my design, it’s still my design. I’ll just credit the beadworker if anyone asks.”

Tikki smiled at her chosen, and flew to give her a hug on the cheek. “I’m proud of you for giving Chloe a chance, Marinette.”

“Thanks, Tikki.”

Her phone buzzed again, and Marinette sighed. “I thought Chloe told _me_ to stop texting _her_.” She unlocked her phone and nearly had a heart attack. “It’s Adrien!” she squealed. She drew her legs up criss crossed on her desk chair. As she opened the text, her phone buzzed a few more times.

_Adrien: Hey Marinette! Just wanted to let you know that the charity gala is on Saturday, starting at 6PM, black tie_

_Adrien: If you want, you could come over around 4, and we could have a small meal beforehand_

_Adrien: There’s also someone coming over to do makeup, if you’re interested? I’m stuck with having mine done, but we have time reserved for you, if you would like it_

Marinette took a deep breath. “Tikki, I need you to proofread my texts before I send them.”

“Will do!”

_Marinette: Perfect! I have just the design for a black tie event_

_Marinette: I would also love to come over and hang out! It’ll be fun to get our makeup done together :)_

“That’s perfect Marinette,” Tikki smiled at her chosen. Yes, text was definitely easier for the girl.

_Adrien: Great! We can talk more about it this week at school if you’d like._

_Adrien: Also, I don’t want to insult you, but my father and Nathalie have already picked out dresses from the G fall/winter lines that would suit you if you’re interested :p_

_Adrien: I’m sure whatever you choose to wear will look amazing though!_

Marinette gasped. She hadn’t even considered getting to wear a _Gabriel_ dress! But then again, getting to display her own work at such an event… though what if she embarrassed herself? What if she turned down Mr. Agreste and embarrassed them like Chloe was afraid of! Maybe she should just wear a _Gabriel_ dress…

_Marinette: I’d love to try them on if that’s okay?_

_Marinette: Before I make a final decision, that is_

_Adrien: Of course! To be honest though, I’m interested in seeing what you had planned_

She blushed. She couldn’t disappoint Adrien. Maybe she could run her designs by Mr. Agreste’s assistant before making a final decision? If it wasn’t up to standards, she could always just borrow one of the _Gabriel_ dresses, and not bother Chloe or whatever beadworker she had lined up.

_Marinette: Actually, could you possibly show my design to someone? I want to make sure it’s up to your father’s standards before I go any farther_

_Adrien: Of course!_

Marinette sent the same pictures she’d sent Chloe earlier, and waited.

_Adrien: Wow, these are amazing!_

_Adrien: I forwarded them to Nathalie, so I’ll probably be able to give you an answer by tomorrow_

_Adrien: Would you want us to have someone make it for you? Your design, but you won’t have to worry about making it!_

Marinette bit her lip. If she said yes, she could potentially spend more time with Adrien! But then again, she’d be ditching Chloe. While the idea of spending her lunch break with Chloe filled her with dread, she didn’t want to slap away an olive branch either. It would still be a long time before Marinette could trust Chloe, but at least now she knew she had a backup plan if Chloe suddenly decided to drop her.

_Marinette: That would be amazing! But actually, I’m meeting Chloe tomorrow about the same thing_

_Adrien: Really? That’s great!_

_Adrien: Well, we can all talk about details tomorrow in class. I’ll text Nathalie again to make sure she gives your design priority_

_Adrien: I’m sure my father would still like your measurements, just in case something goes wrong, so maybe you could come over after class?_

_Marinette: That would be great!_

_Adrien: Great! I look forward to having you over :)_

Marinette’s heart fluttered as she read the text a few times before replying.

_Marinette: I look forward to it!_

Marinette let out a dreamy sigh as she tried to process everything. This whole day was a dream come true. She couldn’t hardly believe how different she felt from this morning. Then, it felt like every other day, like she was kind of stuck in the same kind of limbo as ever, and then suddenly her life was set in motion! She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to thank Adrien enough for inviting her to this event, but she knew she’d do her best to repay him. Ideally in dates that she had planned in advance, but really she’d have to do something, or make him something amazing, as a thank you. Ideas immediately started buzzing in her head, and she quickly started sketching them out and writing notes around them. By the time she finished, she was ready for bed and satisfied by her work. Marinette got ready for bed and sighed dreamily to herself as she flopped into her bed smiling at the ceiling.

“Tomorrow’s going to be great, Tikki,” Marinette said. “I can feel it.”

The little kwami nodded and drifted down onto Marinette’s pillow. “Things are looking up,” she agreed.

“Good night, Tikki.”

“Good night, Marinette.”

***

Marinette found herself with extra time the next morning, but she’s too ready to bounce off the walls in excitement, and goes to class early. Chances are Adrien would already be there, as his bodyguard often drops him off early, and she wanted to find out if her design was approved. She started down the stairs, Tikki hopping off her shoulder and phasing into her bag. Marinette walked down to the bakery, and gave her father a kiss on cheek goodbye, and was handed a box of croissants when she went to do the same for her mother. She thanked her parents as she weaved through the crowd of customers already inside.

Somehow, Marinette walked into the classroom without causing or receiving injury to the croissants, which she choose to count as a miracle. Sabrina was there before Chloe, Adrien was looking at something on his phone, Max was adjusting something on Markov, and Alya was chugging a coffee while most likely checking comments on the Ladyblog. Marinette smiled at the group of early birds, who all looked shocked to see her come in this early. She set to work passing out croissants on little napkins.

“Thanks Marinette!” Sabrina said, as she took her croissant from the bakers’ daughter.

Adrien beamed at her as she gave him a chocolate croissant (something her parents found out he liked from the time he spent at their house, and Marinette immediately realized must be for him), and said “You’re the best, Marinette.” Marinette blushed and smiled at him in response as she moved back to her bestie.

“Girl, you’ve just made my morning,” Alya gratefully accepted the croissant. “You should always come early if we get treats,” she said with a wink.

“We’ll see!” Marinette replied.

She finally reached Max, and he thanked her, and Markov commented on how nice she was. As she reached the back, she was tempted to leave Lila a slightly funky looking croissant, but decided against it. Instead, she traded it with the one that would have been her own. No need for her to have a pretty croissant, after all. She ate the few that turned out unsightly all the time, anyway.

As Marinette plopped down in her seat next to Alya, Adrien turned around to face her.

“Your family makes the best croissants, Marinette,” he said, making her blush again.

She laughed nervously. “Oh, it’s nothing!”

He held her gaze for a moment, before seeming to blink out of it, and reaching down towards his bag. “Oh! I should tell you that your design was approved by my father -- with a few tweaks and suggestions.”

She felt her heart leap. “Really?! Can I see the critiques?”

“Yeah, here you go,” Adrien said as he handed her a print out of her design with notes scrawled across it.

Marinette ate up the red notes, taking every change to heart and learning from them as quickly as she could. “This is amazing! I’ve never gotten to have my work professionally critiqued like this before! Well, not before its debut,” she said, thinking back to the Jagged Stone cover, and the bowler hat. Those were special occasion though, as well. Jagged wanted exactly what she had made, and the hat was meant to be designed around. There had been plenty of online comments about her designs once the public saw them, and not all of them good. Luckily, little of that mattered when the people they were designed for liked them. It wasn’t like Jagged or Gabriel Agreste were easily swayed by the voices of a few, either.

Still, she felt a little disappointed knowing that she still needed these changes -- that she hadn’t seen the flaws herself -- but it was all about learning. She looked up to Adrien and grinned. “Thank you for this! I’ll be sure to show it to the beadworker.”

Adrien smiled back. “It’s gonna turn out amazing, Marinette.” He gave her a wink before turning around in her seat, and then she officially melted.

Alya nudged her in the side to get her attention. Marinette looked to her friend, blinking out of the daze the boy in front of her put her in. She gave her friend a confused look. Alya pointed to her phone.

_Alya: Um, did you just talk to Adrien without stuttering?_

_Marinette: I think so!_

_Alya: Proud of you!!!!!!_

_Marinette: Thanks!_

_Marinette: I think texting him last night helped?_

_Alya: You texted him? :O_

_Marinette: Well he texted me, but long story short I’m going over to his place after school!_

_Alya: !!!!! :O_

_Alya: Girl!!!_

_Alya: Get him!!!_

Marinette gave her friend a playful push, and Alya laughed.

_Alya: But seriously proud of you!_

_Marinette: <3 _

The rest of the class was beginning to filter in, one of whom included Chloe. She turned to Marinette before she sat down. “Did your little design get approved?”

“Yeah,” Marinette said, showing the blonde the pages still spread across her desk. Chloe eyed them, and snatched one up, sapphire eyes darting around the page.

“Fine. I’ll see you at lunch then,” she said, setting the paper back on Marinette’s desk before turning back to her own.

Alya’s face was shocked when Marinette turned back to her. In fact, most of the faces of her classmates were also confused, save for Adrien and Sabrina.

“Um, what was that?” Alya asked.

Marinette smiled. “Chloe’s helping me with my dress for the charity gala this weekend. I’m going to lunch with her to meet a beadworker who’s going to do the beading on my dress.”

Alya’s brows furrowed. “Uh, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Marinette sighed. “I know Chloe and I haven’t always seen eye to eye but… well, I think it’s worth giving her a chance, you know? She reached out to me, and if she wants to get along I want to give it a shot too.”

Her friend looked at her skeptically, but shrugged. “You’re too good sometimes, Marinette.”

The morning seemed to breeze by once class got started, and an in class assignment kept her attention until they were released for lunch.

Alya bid Marinette good luck, leaving with Nino for lunch. Marinette said goodbye as she gathered her things, and looked up to see Chloe waiting expectantly. Sabrina standing slightly behind her.

“Let’s go,” was all Chloe said before turning on her heel and striding out of the classroom.

Marinette jogged to catch up, a little annoyed at the behavior. “Could you slow down a little?” she asked as she caught up with them at the bottom of the atrium stairs.

“No, we’re going to need all the time we can get today,” Chloe replied sharply. “So hurry up.”

Marinette rolled her eyes as they reached the front door, and began down the steps. Sabrina opened the door for them as they got to the limo, and climbed in after them, squeezing Marinette in the middle. Though, squeezing might not be quite the right word, as it was surprisingly spacious in the back of the car.

“Take us home,” Chloe ordered the driver, who simply began to drive rather than say anything. The blonde rested her chin on her knuckles lightly as the car pulled away, gaze out the window.

“So, um, how have you been Sabrina?” Marinette asked the ginger, who looked delighted to be asked about herself.

“Great! Chloe invited me as her plus one for the gala this weekend, so I’m getting fitted today.”

“Wow, that’s great!” Marinette enthused. “What style do you think you want?”

“Oh, something modest,” Sabrina admitted. “I’m a police officer’s daughter, so I want to reflect well on him, and I don’t want to outshine anyone.” Her eyes flicked towards Chloe for a moment, and Marinette understood.

“You don’t want anything sparkly?”

“No, not really.”

Marinette frowned. She could see in Sabrina’s downcast demeanor that she did.

They arrived at _Le Grand Paris_ , and climbed out of the car. The trio headed straight for Chloe’s room, where a seamstresses and a beadworker were already waiting.

Chloe immediately took command. “Sabrina, go get your measurements taken, Marinette, show him your design, Jean-Pierre, go get us lunch.”

Chloe’s butler bowed, and left the room.

Marinette was caught up in the sudden whirlwind, as she brought out her designs to be looked over. The beadworker took them from her, an eyebrow raised at her gentle demeanor. Clearly, he was used to brats who would throw things at him. He looked notes over, and looked up at her in surprise. “Gabriel Agreste designed this for you?”

“Oh, no,” Marinette replied. “I did. Mr. Agreste just did the critique for me.” His stunned expression made Marinette a little nervous. “Is it, um, doable before this weekend?”

He sighed. “Well, yes, but with these specifications, I will need to make marks on a sample bodice to make sure I get it all right the first time. Are you comfortable with that, Miss…?”

“Marinette,” she supplied. “Sorry, I don’t think I caught your name.”

“Paolo,” he replied. “Paolo Altera. It’s a pleasure to meet someone of your talent, Marinette.”

“Thank you! It’s a pleasure to meet someone of your talent as well.”

He shook his head at her with a small smile. “Okay, we’ll get a quick bodice made for you, yes? Diana, take her measurements and make her a form fitting bodice please. We’ll be marking it up, so use the muslin.” A portly woman who had been waiting off to the side nodded and zipped around Marinette, her hands juggling the measuring tape and notepad with practiced ease. When she was done, Marinette was free to go eat while they worked on the bodice.

Sabrina was off to the side, looking through a catalogue of dresses that would fit the event, and were no doubt pre-approved for Sabrina.

Chloe was holding a piece of sushi in with chopsticks in one hand as Marinette approached. Chloe glanced at her as she sat, her butler lifting the lid off of Marinette’s platter. Marinette was in awe of the layout before her, her mouth watering as she picked up her own set of chopsticks.   
“Thank you, Chloe,” Marinette said, the blonde looking up at her in surprise.

“What, never seen anything other than peasant food?” she retorted, eyes suddenly glued to her phone.

Marinette sighed. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, thank you for lunch too, but thank you for helping me with this. It means a lot.”

Was that a blush creeping up on her face? “Yeah, well don’t get used to it. I’m only doing this for Adrien’s sake.”

Marinette blinked. “If you don’t mind me asking,” she said as she reached for some sushi, “Why are you helping me? I thought you, um, _liked_ Adrien.”

Chloe sighed and reached for her food again. “Not that it’s any of your business, but it’s been clear to me for a while that Adrikins doesn’t see me that way. Besides, what he does is his choice. If he wants to ask you to one gala, fine, his loss. Still, better someone like you than a snake like Lila.”

Marinette did her best not to dip into anger as she chewed. When she swallowed, she replied, “I’m just surprised is all. You have to have known that Mr. Agreste would have taken all of this over if you didn’t.”

The other girl didn’t bother to look at her this time. “You think I’d let _him_ oversee something this important to Adrien?” There was a bite to her voice that wasn’t aimed at Marinette, that she could tell, but confused her nonetheless. Then, suddenly calmer, “No. Adrien’s going to have a good night at that gala.”

Marinette was thoroughly lost now, and was wondering if Chloe was okay or not. Instead, she chose to eat in relative silence, the quick hum of sewing machines in the background. Not long after, she was stood up again, Paolo making marks across the muslin bodice to figure out bead placement. It was strange. In any other scenario Marinette would have been uncomfortable with a man drawing on her like this, but there was such a clinical kind of focus that left her unperturbed. It was more interesting to watch him work than to worry about regular social woes and personal space bubbles. It was beyond Marinette’s experience.

Chloe and Sabrina came over to inspect the progress, keeping just enough distance from Paolo so that he could work. “Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette looked at the girl with a sigh. “Yes?”

“I just got off the phone with Gabriel Agreste’s assistant. We decided that the fabric should be mulberry silk.”

“Wait, what?”

“Your dress is mulberry silk now. They’re dyeing the material specifically for you, so you don’t blow it.”

“But mulberry silk is so--”

“Don’t say expensive. The only price Gabriel or I am worried about is the value of our reputation.”

Marinette bit her lip lightly. This was the world she was hoping to get into someday, she supposed. Then, however, she would have a company funding her designs. She supposed this wasn’t so different, in a way. “Okay,” she said finally.

“Also Gabriel’s assistant wants to know your shoe size and measurements. I sent her your number, so you better text her everything she wants to know.” Chloe then turned away with Sabrina, and sat back on the sofas.

Lunch ended soon after, Sabrina having happily picked out her dress, showing it to Marinette on their way back to class. Marinette could feel people staring at the three of them, as Chloe had opposite reputations and famously did not get along. She glanced over at Chloe, who ignored the open stares, and felt that small tingle of jealousy again. But Marinette was also Ladybug, and Ladybug had people watching her all the time. Marinette stood up a little straighter and held her chin a little higher. So what if people stared? It had never been a challenge for her as a superhero, so why should it now? With a little bump in confidence, she headed to locker room with Chloe and Sabrina, letting people stare.

She went to take a quick trip to the bathroom to check her minimal makeup and ensure her hair wasn’t too frazzled from the events at lunch. To her surprise, the room was empty. As she touched up her eyeliner in peace, the door opened, and a glance to the side made her roll her eyes.

Lila walked in with a nasty smirk, and stood beside Marinette, pulling out a small makeup bag.

“Seems like you’re committing social suicide without my help,” the girl said in a sickly sweet tone, working on her mascara. “I know I told you that all your friends would turn their backs on you, but I didn’t realize you were already desperate enough to hang out with _Chloe_.”

Marinette huffed slightly. “Reaching out to others with kindness isn’t going to condemn me, Lila. And no one’s turned their back on me.” She wrapped up the bit of eyeliner that needed a touch-up and put the cap back on the stick. Lila picked the wrong day to try and mess with her. She was still riding the high of her Ladybug realization, and decided that she was going to handle Lila like she would if she had her mask on. “Besides, there’s no need to try and threaten me again,” she said with a smile. “I’m not interested in this fight you want, so I’d rather just go on my way.” With that she brushed by Lila before the other girl could reply. She couldn’t help the smile satisfaction from leaving the other girl behind, stunned once more.

***

In comparison to lunch the rest of the day was extremely dull. Marinette slogged through her classes, the whole afternoon seemed to pass slower as she anticipated spending time with Adrien. When the final bell rang, Marinette was about to go crazy. She’d been doing her best not to work herself up into a frenzy, but was slowly failing. She was spending the afternoon with Adrien! She was going to try on _Gabriel_ dresses! Her day was so crazy, being suddenly caught up in the world of rich kids who didn’t give a second thought to price tags, professional commissions, or anything of the like. She’d had the fanciest sushi she’d ever _seen_ today for lunch, and that was probably Chloe’s everyday meal.

As Marinette stood outside the front doors, waiting for Adrien at the top of the steps, Alya and Nino walked up.

“Dude! I hear you and my man Adrien are spending the day together,” Nino said with a grin.

Alya chuckled at her boyfriend’s lack of subtlety. “What he’s trying to say, is we’re rooting for you.”

Marinette smiled back at them. “Thanks, guys! I wish you two could come with us this weekend.”

“Yeah, we may not know anything about fashion, but we know that rich people are gonna serve some delicious food,” Alya replied.

“You _know_ rich people got the best food -- but like, mini,” Nino said.

Marinette giggled. “I haven’t ever gone to an event like this, so I guess I’ll find out.”

“Dude,” Nino said seriously, setting his hands on her shoulders, “promise me you’ll eat as many mini quiches as you can in my place.”

“You know you can just buy some from Marinette’s parents, right?” Alya said with a smile and crossed arms.

“But they’re not all you can eat!”

Marinette laughed at her friend. “Maybe I can make some for the class some day.”

Nino’s eyes sparkled in hope, while Alya shook her head in amusement.

It was then that Adrien finally arrived, a bright smile on his face, oblivious to the group of girls in the year below them who eyed him from a distance. Their giggles were lost on him, and for once, they were to Marinette as well. Because today he was focused on her, and they were spending their afternoon together, and nothing was going to pull Marinette down from the high she was riding from that thought.

“Hey!” Adrien greeted them all, giving Nino a low fist bump before turning to Marinette. “Are you ready to go?” he asked her.

“Y-yeah!” she replied, feeling her heart flutter at his green eyes and friendly smile.

“We’ll catch you guys later!” Alya called to them, tugging Nino along.

Marinette and Adrien called goodbyes to their friends before walking to the waiting limo.

Adrien’s bodyguard waited inside the vehicle, his heavy brow lifting only a little when Marinette entered the car with Adrien. He eyed her through the rearview mirror, but when they buckled in he simply drove away.

Adrien turned to Marinette as they rode. “So, there’s something I have to do before we can hang out today,” he said with a sigh. “I have to practice my piano for a bit, but then I’ll be free for the afternoon. I hope you don’t mind going through the whole fitting process by yourself?”

“I-I don’t mind at all!” Marinette assured him. “It’ll be an interesting experience.”

Adrien smiled, relieved. “Okay, I didn’t want you to think I was ditching you at all.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” Marinette said.

There was an honesty in her voice that made Adrien a little bashful, as he glanced away with a blush. This, however, was lost on Marinette as she panicked, thinking that she’d made him uncomfortable. The rest of the short ride was filled with silence and shyly met glances. When the car finally stopped the two practically lept out, desperate to get away from a tension neither one of them quite understood. They walked into the house side by side, and were met by Nathalie, her cold eyes glancing up at them as she finishing something on her tablet.

“Adrien, Ms. Dupain-Cheng,” Nathalie greeted them.

“Oh, Marinette is fine,” Marinette said, a bit uncomfortable with the formality. It was very different from the hustle and bustle of lunch with Chloe.

Nathalie nodded. “Adrien, you have piano practice while Marinette will come with me for her fitting.”

“Right,” Adrien sighed. “I’ll see you later Marinette.”

“O-okay,” she agreed, watching him walk up the stairs.

“Please come with me,” Nathalie said, leading Marinette through the foyer to a back room. This area seemed to be an in-home fitting room, no doubt where the Agrestes were fit for suits and the like.

“This is our fitting room,” Nathalie said, as if on cue. “Mr. Agreste would like to oversee your fitting, and discuss your dress. He will be here shortly.”

“Oh, um, alright.”

It was very different from Chloe’s. It was cold and almost sterile here. Mr. Agreste and any staff (aside from Nathalie) had yet to be seen. Marinette selected a dress from the rack waiting for her, and walked to the private room where she was to change. Tikki flew out of her bag to avoid any unnecessary jostling. She looked at Marinette with wide eyes and a smile as they looked over the soft black dress. It was a nice black dress, but bit shorter than Marinette was comfortable with. She realized with a start that she and Adrien were going to likely to be styled older. The thought made her a bit uneasy. The dress would be more appropriate if she was older, but the whole reason she was trying on dresses was to find something she looked good and felt comfortable with. She hoped that she’d be allowed some choice. Still, she slid into the dress, and zipped herself up. The low back didn’t make it all that hard.

When Marinette stepped out, Nathalie’s eyes appraised her, and she gestured for her to step up on to the small pedestal next to where a gaunt woman was waiting. Marinette held her breath as the woman whipped out measuring tape and took measurements. The woman made no effort to introduce herself, or start a conversation, and so Marinette was unsure if she should try herself. The woman then began to make her adjustments, fitting the fabric snugly against Marinette and holding it in place with needles, marking the fabric with chalk as she made darts and folds. By the end, Marinette felt like if she moved she might be jabbed.

Nathalie walked around her, eyes curious. “It’s not bad, but a little mature,” she noted. She was tapping away at her tablet, and took a quick pictures of Marinette from a few angles. “Please continue to the next dress,” Nathalie said.

Marinette did as she was told, arms slightly away from her body to avoid any possible needle pricks.

Next up was a pleasant blue dress that Marinette noticed matched her eyes. The bodice was a beautiful and intricate lace that Marinette adored. There was a mild asymmetrical cut to the skirt, so that she certainly wouldn’t trip, and she might show off whatever heels were picked out for her. As if she’d read her mind, Nathalie signaled for a rack of designer heels to be brought in, and Marinette selected a pair of beautiful white heels with silver vines, reminiscent of the lace on the dress. She put them on and looked in the mirror. It was a stunning look, to be certain, and not quite as mature as the first dress. Marinette really loved this outfit, and apparently so did Nathalie.

The woman nodded approvingly at Marinette’s combination, and took her pictures. “This would be a much more ideal look for you on Saturday,” Nathalie said. “There’s a certain innocence to your features, and this would make you more of a sweetheart for the press, and less of a target.”

Marinette looked at Nathalie, alarmed. “A target?”

Now it was Nathalie’s turn to look surprised. “Yes. Most of Adrien’s celebrity revolves around his availability to young women. Though you two are friends, many girls can be … vicious, if they think you’re dating.”

Marinette thought back to the group of girls watching Adrien back at the school, and it began to dawn on her what she was potentially getting into. “Will my dress really be okay then?” She asked Nathalie, the sudden concern in her voice not lost on the assistant.

“Yes,” Nathalie said. “It’s really quite perfect for the event, really. It’s a good mix between a mature elegance and innocence -- something we hadn’t designed, as it’s usually outside of our target customers.”

Marinette exhaled in relief. “That’s good, though I’m sure this dress would be perfect if my design doesn’t work out.”

For the first time, Nathalie gave her a small smile. “You’ve quite a bit of skill, Marinette, you should be more confident in your designs.” She watched Marinette blush under the praise for a moment before continuing. “We sincerely hope that you’ll apply for an internship with _Gabriel_ \-- when you’re a bit older, of course. Legal issues and such.”

“Of course!”

The next time that Marinette stepped out of the dressing room in an exquisite gold dress, Mr. Agreste was there, going over the previous dresses Marinette tried on.

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng,” Mr. Agreste said as he looked up at her. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”

“A-and you as well, Mr. Agreste,” she greeted him with a small reflexive bow. “It’s an honor to try on so many of your dresses.”

He gave her a small smile. “Thank you. Though I must say, I am quite impressed by your design. It was a pleasant surprise when it crossed my desk this morning.”

Marinette tried to keep her ego from inflating too much, and thanked her idol as calmly as she could.

After that they went through dress after dress, repeating the process of adjusting dresses, taking pictures, and pairing with heels again and again. Mr. Agreste would comment from time to time, though he let Nathalie do most of the work. He was texting frequently throughout the fitting, but gave as much attention as he could to Marinette.

Finally, her last dress was a Ladybug red that made her heart stop for a split second. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw delicate gold thread that danced along the outside of the bodice. The dress was beautiful, but again, a little mature. It was long, nearly floor-length flowing material, but the neckline was… plunging. She wondered if she could make some alteration suggestions to Nathalie.

When she stepped out, the process repeated, but Nathalie herself made the suggestion of bringing the neckline up a bit, as she watched Marinette fidget with it. The young girl looked around at herself at a few angles, and saw a quirk of a smile on Nathalie’s lips in the mirror.

“Is something wrong?” Marinette asked, genuinely concerned.

“Please twirl, Marinette.”

She did as she was told, and saw the light fabric pick up at the momentum, flowing around her like water.

“A little faster, please,” Nathalie encouraged.

Again, Marinette did as she was bid, and watched the panels of fabric float up around her in a mesmerizing way. Her mouth opened in awe as it seemed to move of its own accord for a moment, then gracefully sway to rest.

“It’s very popular to take photos with dresses like this,” Nathalie explained. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to take a few pictures while you twirl again.”

“I’d love to!” Marinette admitted enthusiastically.

As she spun again, she took a better look in the mirror, and caught the subtle differences in colour in the panels. They ranged from a darker red to a gold, and the effect was stunning. Marinette picked up a pair of gold satin heels with beautiful gold filigree heel. She slid into them and stood. As she walked she could just catch the gold under the shifting panels, and she turned a bit to see the heels revealed in all their glory by the flowing material. She spun a little more, just enjoying the feeling, and to practice in the heels if the need arose.

“Wow.”

Adrien was in the doorway, and had come in just in time to see her twirl. Marinette twisted a little more to look at him over her shoulder, and caught him staring at her with an open mouth. A glance in the mirror told her the fabric was still floating around her -- and that she looked positively divine.

“You look amazing Marinette,” he said. There was a tone in her voice she didn’t quite recognize, but it made her flush all the shades of red in the dress she was wearing.

“Th-thank you,” she stammered out.

“I’m glad that you both seem to enjoy the dress,” Mr. Agreste said, standing. Seeing his father seemed to startle Adrien, like he wasn’t aware that the rather imposing man was present. Mr. Agreste continued, “Adrien, would you practice walking with Ms. Dupain-Cheng, please? I need to make sure that you have a proper presence in front of the press.”

“Of course,” Adrien replied, almost automatically. He walked up to Marinette, and helped her down from the small podium she was on. He kept his back straight and shoulders back slightly, chin up. He molded right into the model he was in front of cameras, and there was an almost plasticine quality he took on. Seeing it happen close up like this rose a bit of alarm in her, but she squashed it as she mirrored his posture, taking the arm he offered her. They walked a few paces back and forth, taking criticism and fixing it as they were told.

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng, stand a little closer to Adrien, please. Standing so far away will appear very awkward.”

“Adrien, keep your hand higher on her waist for pictures. It will look distasteful to keep your hand too low.”

“When you walk, keep pace with each other. Be aware of your pace and those before and after you.”

They finished with a sharp nod of approval from Mr. Agreste. Finding their efforts agreeable for the time being. He then left without ceremony as his phone rang, walking out of the room. Marinette glanced over at Adrien, to find him looking over at the door his father had left through. The genuine sadness that clouded his eyes made her own bubble up. She knew Adrien’s father was controlling, but did he not see that he was also hurting his son?

“Thank you for your efforts today, Marinette,” Nathalie said, claiming Marinette’s attention.

“Of course,” she said. “I can tell how important all of this is.”

Nathalie nodded. “Appearances are everything in this industry. As I’m certain you’re aware.”

“Yeah, totally,” Marinette said, half paying attention, as they followed Nathalie out of the room. Adrien walked a few steps behind her, and a glance back at him told her he was still in his own little world. His eyes were downcast, and his shoulders slightly slumped, a marked difference from the boy she’d been practicing walking with a few moments before. She wondered if she should say something.

Unfortunately for Marinette, it seemed that this was a business meeting in Nathalie’s mind, as she lead the girl to the front door, and thanked her for her time.

Marinette turned to Adrien, who looked at her with a glint of sadness in his eyes. He was so small in the expanse of the mansion, framed in by grandiose stairs and high walls. He seemed so out of place, a chaotic bit of colour in the stark blacks and whites of the surrounding marble. Morso than out of place, he looked lonely. The half smile he gave her offset by the absence of happiness in his eyes. “It was great seeing you today, Marinette,” he said. “Even if it was just for a little bit.”

God. That just broke her heart. This boy who seemed to have everything and nothing at the same time. A gilded cage, leaving him so isolated that the sight of people leaving him was painful. The next thing that Marinette knew, she was hugging him. “Thank you,” she said softly. When she released him, she looked up earnestly into his startled eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” Her heart skipped a beat as a genuine smile broke out across his face, mirroring her own.

“Yeah, I’ll see you then,” he said, and let her go as she skipped out the door and down the mansion’s steps.

When she was out the gate and taking a back street, Tikki popped open her bag with a smile. “Wow, Marinette! You didn’t stutter once! Not even after Adrien hugged you.”

Marinette smiled up at the sky. “He just looked so sad. I’m glad I could make him just a little bit happier.” Then Tikki’s words replayed in her mind. “Wait, he hugged me back?”

“Yes! Did you miss that?”

Marinette stopped dead in her tracks and felt her face heat up. “He hugged me back?” she repeated.

“Yes?”

She then exploded with glee, jumping up and down. “Oh my god! Tikki! He hugged me back!” Tikki just shook her head in amusement at the girl, who began to run home with excess energy, and closed the bag.

  


***

_“Girl, what is with all this sudden progress? I’m sooooo proud of you!”_ Alya’s voice buzzed over the phone.

“I don’t know!” Marinette giggled. “He just looked so sad, and I kinda just did it.”

_“I’ll admit, that I was a little worried about you today, but it looks like you handled those rich kids well.”_

“Yeah, Chloe was still a little bit of a handful, but I think that being Queen Bee is good for her? Like, she’s thinking more about other people.”

_“Oh yeah? How do you figure? I just thought her head would get even bigger.”_

“I think Ladybug and Chat Noir might be influencing her a bit.”

_“You mean, just Ladybug. The cat’s nice, but he’s not exactly role model material.”_

Marinette rolled her eyes. “You just say that because you have a crush on Ladybug.”

_“What can I say? I like me a woman who’s all confident and fights for good.”_

“What are you gonna tell Nino?” Marinette mocked a gasp.

 _“To get a ladybug costume, duh!”_ Alya laughed. _“But seriously, good job with Adrien today. I’m proud that you’re finally finding your confidence around him.”_

“Me too,” Marinette said. Just yesterday she was stammering and stumbling around him like a fool, but something about seeing a new side of him opened up something in herself. A confidence for him that he seemed to lack in his home. She just wanted to tell him it was going to all be okay.

_“... Marinette?”_

“Oh, sorry. I spaced out.”

 _“I could tell,”_ Alya chuckled. _“I’m saying that I gotta go for dinner now. Talk to you later!”_

“Okay! Bye!”

Marinette hung up and leaned back in her desk chair. Chloe and Adrien. She hadn’t really considered their home lives much before now. Chloe was used to doing whatever she wanted, and Adrien didn’t seem to have an agency at all. Chloe’s parents were absent while she was there, and Mr. Agreste had only showed up to make sure things were going according to his specifications. It was so different from Marinette’s own experience. Her parents bordering on bothersome, to the point where she had to actively kick them out of her room at times just to be alone with her friends. But then again, she didn’t want them to go anywhere. She loved her parents, and even when they got a little overbearing, she knew it came from a good place. Her mom was always there to hold her on a rough day, with blankets and tea to help soothe any tears, and her father with big, bone crushing hugs and pastries to bring back smiles.

It was something Chloe and Adrien would likely never get from their parents, and that thought made her a bit sad. Their big rooms filled with things that most kids would dream of were there as placeholders for parenting and love. Marinette looked at her room, cramped with those few possessions she held most dear, and with walls covered in photos of friends and family. And Adrien. Lots of Adrien. But that was beside the point. Still, it was simple things that she held close to her heart, and she wondered if there was anything like that for Chloe or Adrien.

“Marinette! Dinner’s ready!” Sabine called from downstairs.

Marinette stood up a stretched. “Coming, Mama!” she called back. She opened the hatch down to the living room, and was greeted with a hug from her mom, and questions all about her day from her dad. As she sat down to dinner, Marinette smiled at her parents, who laughed about a silly customer from that day. Yes, she much preferred her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little over 3 times the length of the first chapter lol  
> Anyway, thank you all for waiting so long! Between my finals, and all the chaos that comes with the holiday season, it's been a bit difficult to find time to write. On top of that, I took the time to write out a detailed outline, so that took a few days as well. As always, critiques are welcome, and I'll try to reply to some comments this go around!


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